Slovenia's economy is booming, making it by far the most successful of the 2004 wave of entrants to the EU – to such an extent that it will beat the rest of the pack and join the euro next January and has been selected for the EU presidency in 2008. Its cultural life is thriving, attracting major philharmonic orchestras, pop groups, artists and stage performers. Even its sports stars seem to be achieving: a Slovenian recently became the first man to ski down Mount Everest, turning him overnight into a national hero.
In the capital, Ljubljana, this feeling of wellbeing shows. Cafés lining the small streets in the city centre are packed with cosmopolitan crowds of cappuccino drinkers. During the day, people nip about on bicycles – or even Rollerblades – heading to offices or to meet friends. In the evenings, the bars and restaurants are full, with diners and drinkers spilling out onto the streets.
Many of the city's elegant designs are the work of Joze Plecnik, including the stunning Triple Bridge, one of several bridges that cross the pretty Ljubljanica river. Born in a suburb of Ljubljana in 1872, Plecnik later left his mark on Prague, but many of the buildings he designed in Ljubljana have recently been restored, giving the city a smart edge. For shopping, there are boutiques in the Old Town selling designer clothes, and flea-market stalls along the river that offer antiques, while gigantic new shopping centres in the suburbs are reminiscent of the vast malls you find everywhere in the United States.
In short, everything seems to be going very well indeed in Ljubljana, and Slovenia in general, even though other parts of the former Yugoslavia are struggling to come to terms with life after the disintegration of the federal republic.
Jaka Terpinc, editor-in-chief of The Slovenia Times, the local English-language newspaper, says: "Very few people have emigrated since we joined the EU. I believe [the UK] is getting many emigrants from Poland. It's not like that here. I haven't heard anyone say: 'I'll go and get a job in the UK.'"
In fact, the country is attracting its own immigrants, with workers from Poland, Slovakia and Romania coming here to find jobs, says Terpinc. Part of this is because Slovenia was "never an Iron Curtain state", he explains, so it was able to introduce elements of a market economy even during communist times, especially as its borders with Italy and Austria were always easy to cross.
Another big factor was Slovenia's decision to declare independence in June 1991, thus separating itself from the mess of other parts of the former Yugoslavia. There was a 10-day war, in which the Serb-dominated Yugoslav Army attempted to bring Slovenia back into the fold. It failed. On January 15, 1992, the country was formally recognised by the EU.
Another sign of Slovenia's growing success is the amount of flights it attracts. Currently, Ljubljana has two low-cost airlines flying from the UK: Easyjet and Wizz Air, which started a daily service from Luton in May. I flew a fortnight after the inaugural flight, arriving at the small international airport, which no doubt will need some investment to bring it in line with the rest of the country. My return fare was £47 – £42 of which consisted of taxes and charges.
Natasa Kazmer, director of corporate communications and public affairs at Wizz Air, in Hungary, says: "Slovenian market entry is well in line with our strategy to expand towards eastern and southern Europe, and follows our move into the Bulgarian and Croatian markets and shortly before our first steps into Romania. We think the Slovenian market is underserved and has good potential. We carry a lot of holidaymakers to both ends, as well as businesspeople working in Belgium and the UK and coming home to visit friends and family."
But what about places to stay? There are two new entries on the Ljubljana hotel scene, Hotel Mons and the Domina Grand Media Hotel. The 214-room Domina, a high-rise north of the city centre, near many government buildings, leads the way in price and technology. Rooms cost from £78, with free wifi as well as unlimited free phone calls to the UK and other countries. It also has a pleasant bar and a fitness centre, although it is positioned on an unattractive main road. Hotel Mons is the leading business hotel, with a large conference hall and meeting room facilities. It is situated in a modernist building west of the city centre and is full of interesting art, including a giant gold pendulum in reception. Rooms are from £85 with free wired internet access.
Perhaps the pick of the bunch is the slightly awkwardly named Grand Hotel Union Executive, which overlooks the Triple Bridge. The bridge acts as the unofficial centre of the city and on its western side, you can also find the statue of France Preseren, Slovenia's greatest poet. This statue is a popular meeting point, rather like Eros in Piccadilly Circus in London. The Grand Hotel has a wonderful, ivory-coloured stucco exterior, with a copper-domed turret. According to the concierge, the best views are from even-numbered rooms on floors seven, eight and nine. Nearby are some great restaurants including Gostilna AS, where the city's movers and shakers get together, and the Cutty Sark bar opposite, another haunt for the hip crowd.
There is plenty to see in Ljubljana over a weekend. Guided tours of the city take in the main sights, including Ljubljana Castle, with brilliant views from the dizzying turreted tower accessed via an enormous spiral staircase. It's an ideal place to get your bearings, and to realise how much greenery there is around the city centre, including the vast expanse of Tivoli Park to the northwest, the site of many music festivals.
Interesting churches include the pretty pink Franciscan Church of the Annunciation, near the Triple Bridge, which was standing-room only when I visited on a Sunday morning. A walk along the river from here takes you past St Nicholas' Cathedral and the Dragon Bridge, adorned with several fearsome-looking copper dragon sculptures. A guided tour will also take you to many of Plecnik's greatest works, including the National University Library, a vast, brick building patterned with limestone, which some consider his greatest work in the city, along with the Zale Cemetery.
Just over an hour's bus drive north is Lake Bled, a popular weekend getaway, notable for its wonderful castle, perching on a clifftop overlooking the serene lake, and a charming church that sits on a small island in the middle. The lake is surrounded by the Julian Alps, the most southerly point of the Italian Alps. Regular buses leave from the main station. Then there are the Skocjan Caves in the Karst region, about an hour and half south and a Unesco World Heritage Site. Bradt guidebook describes them as "a truly remarkable place... it is well worth the trip no matter how little time you have in Slovenia."
Mitja Rotovnik, director of Cankarjev Dom, a large cultural centre on Republike Square that hosts major plays and ballets (and also has conference facilities), says: "We have an excellent, beautiful country. When you talk about quality of life, it is hard to beat.
"We have beaches [on the Adriatic Sea] just over an hour's drive to the south; we have Lake Bled to the north. The city is surrounded by forests. It is a beautiful, beautiful place."
Rotovnik believes that now is the time to see the country: "We are a late developer when it comes to tourism. In 15 years, the western capitalist trappings of tourism will come. This is a great time to visit for your holidays."
Next door to Cankarjev Dom is a concrete tower dating back to the 1980s that holds several embassies including the British Embassy. Here, I visited the trade and investment section, where I was given some basic facts about Ljubljana: population, 1,964,036; GDP per capita, €13,677; inflation, 2.5 per cent; unemployment, 7.2 per cent.
British companies regularly visit Ljubljana on trade missions, says Jana Verk, senior trade and investment adviser. "Even though Slovenia has been doing well for some time now, people are still surprised by the wealth and the standard of living." She predicts that when Slovenia joins the euro, it will become "even more stable".
According to Verk, many British people are already buying property in Murska Sobota, in the northeast of the country, where prices have yet to rise as much as they have in Ljubljana.
There is no reason to be put off by the funny-sounding name. Ljubljana is highly recommended for a weekend break, and now is clearly a good time to go.
WHERE TO STAY
Grand Hotel Union Executive (tel +386 1 3081270, gh-union.si) has rooms from £120.This four-star hotel in an Art Nouveau building is located close to the Triple Bridge. Free wifi is available in guestrooms. For the best views, book a room with an even number on floor seven, eight or nine.
Hotel Mons (tel +386 1 470 2700, hotel.mons.si) has rooms from £85. It is a modern four-star property to the west of the city centre, and is connected to a conference hall that can hold up to 700 people. There is free wired internet in the rooms and free wifi in the lobby. There is also a fitness centre.
Domina Grand Media Hotel (tel +386 1 588 2500, dominahotels.it) has rooms from £78. This high-tech four-star hotel just north of the city centre, has free wifi access in guestrooms and unlimited free phone calls from rooms to several countries including the UK.
WHERE TO EAT
Gostilna AS (tel +386 1 425 8822, gostilnaas.si) is a popular restaurant just north of the Triple Bridge. It has an open-air area during warm months and serves salads, pastas, fish and steak meals. A three-course meal including wine costs £17.
Martina Krpana (tel +386 1 470 2700, hotelmons.si) at Hotel Mons is a top-notch restaurant serving traditional Slovenian dishes. A three-course meal including wine costs £20.
Cantina Mexicana (tel +386 1 426 9325, cantina-mexicana-restaurantes.si) is a fun Mexican restaurant in the courtyard next to Gostilna AS. A three-course meal including wine costs £15.
USEFUL CONTACTS
British Embassy (british-embassy.si) Ljubljana has an excellent Trade and Investment section headed by Jana Verk.
Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Slovenia (gzs.si).
UK Slovenia Tourist Office (tel +44 [0]870 225 5305, slovenia.info).
Ljubljana Tourism (ljubljana-tourism.si).
Ljubljana Airport (lju-airport.si).
RENTAL CARS
Hertz offers all-inclusive cover on rental cars from £48 per day (tel +44 [0]870 844 8844, hertz.co.uk).
READING
Slovenia (Rough Guide, £10.99) and Slovenia (Bradt, £12.99).
The Slovenia Times (sloveniatimes.com) is the local English-language paper, available at hotels.
Ljubljana Life (ljubljanalife.com) Chat room.
GETTING THERE
Wizz Air (wizzair.com) had return fares from £54 as we went to press.
